16‑year‑old Belinay Eker starts apprenticeship as mechanic in Sivas, Turkey

Belinay Eker, a 16‑year‑old from Sivas, Turkey, has begun an apprenticeship at her father Yavuz Eker’s auto‑repair workshop. After leaving a job at a beauty centre, she entered the workshop doing cleaning tasks before moving on to battery replacement, tire removal and other technical duties.

Eker says she intends to become a master mechanic and eventually take over her father’s business, stating “Babamdan sonra işleri devralmayı düşünüyorum” (“I plan to take over the work after my father”). Her presence has surprised many customers and colleagues, as women are rarely seen in the workshop environment, prompting comments such as “Kızımı görünce şaşırıyorlar” (“People are surprised when they see my daughter”). Yavuz Eker, who has worked as an auto‑repair specialist for 35 years, expressed support for his daughter’s choice and noted a more welcoming atmosphere for female customers.

The story highlights a young woman breaking gender norms in a traditionally male‑dominated trade in the Turkish city of Sivas.